1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus that performs communication with an external apparatus connected to a network, and a control method for the information processing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in information processing apparatuses such as image forming apparatuses, lower power consumption is required for various products, and there are devices having a power-saving mode in which power consumption during standby is reduced, in addition to a normal power mode in which normal application processing is performed.
In an image forming apparatus connectable to a network, there is installed a proxy response in which a power to parts other than a network interface card (NIC) is turned off, and a power to only the NIC is turned on during the power-saving mode, and the NIC returns responses to requests from other devices.
In an image forming apparatus discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-283696, the proxy response can be also returned with the apparatus remaining in the power-saving mode, even in communications of a connection type communication protocol on a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) basis or a protocol for performing session establishment processing, in addition to a connectionless type communication protocol such as Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) or Address Resolution Protocol (ARP).
Such an image forming apparatus receives state checking packets and application processing request packets, from another device, such as a personal computer (PC), connected to the network. The state checking packet is a packet for checking if the image forming apparatus is responsive, which corresponds to, for example, state checking such as a name and an installation location of the image forming apparatus.
The image forming apparatus, upon receiving these state checking packets during the power-saving mode, performs proxy response in which only the NIC returns a response to the PC on behalf of the CPU as a main body, without causing the CPU as the main body to wake up, while keeping it turned off. A packet like the state checking packet will be hereinafter referred to as a “proxy response packet”.
The application processing request packet is a packet for requesting the image forming apparatus to perform application processing, which corresponds to, for example, a print job to the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus, upon receiving these application processing request packets during the power-saving mode, causes the CPU as the main body to wake up to power-on state and performs application processing at the CPU as the main body. A packet for waking up the portion that has been turned off in the power-saving mode to power-on, when receiving a packet like the application processing request packet, and for setting the image forming apparatus to the normal power mode will be hereinafter referred to as a “wake-up packet”.
On the other hand, in recent years, in order to further reduce power consumption of the image forming apparatus, power-off tends to be performed frequently, and it is being sought that power-on/off of the image forming apparatus can be performed even from a remote location.
For example, in order to reduce an electric power of an office, a case of turning off a power of specific image forming apparatuses or printers connected to the network, and restricting image forming apparatuses or printers that can be used is applicable. Alternatively, a case of turning off powers of all image forming apparatuses or printers on the network together is also applicable. The image forming apparatus or the printer that is instructed to power off will not be recognized from another device such as the PC on the network, and will not be displayed on a printer list.
A packet for performing power control of a device via the network from such remote location is referred to as a “power control packet”. Since the NIC compatible with the above-described proxy response is not compatible with the power control from the remote location by the power control packet, the image forming apparatus cannot be powered on by the power control packet from the remote location.